


Mind the Gap - The Beginning

by FuryReina (ShadowRese)



Series: Mind the Gap [1]
Category: Spartacus Series (TV), The Gap Cycle - Stephen R. Donaldson
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Alternate Universe - Space, F/M, Fantasy, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-06
Updated: 2013-08-20
Packaged: 2017-12-22 14:14:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/914166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowRese/pseuds/FuryReina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nasir is a young man in need of rescue, Agron is a charismatic captain of his own frigate, walking the line of the illegal. When their eyes meet across the crowded bar at Ludus on Capua Station, their destinies are forever changed. Can Agron save Nasir from the clutches of Ashur, and together, with the help of their friends, be able to save all of humanity from the threats facing it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue/Chapter

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first time I have ever written a story of this magnitude, it's a sort of crossover/combination fic between the Spartacus Fandom and The Gap Cycle books by Steven R Donaldson. The novels are science fiction, set in the future where Earth is threatened by an alien race, and the corruption within its own government. Some of the elements of the novel have been changed to fit the characters of Spartacus, including genders of some of the novel's characters and the names have been altered to encompass both Spartacus and The Gap Cycle. If you have not yet read The Gap Cycle and are a fan of science fiction, I highly recommend you do so. I assure you, you won't regret it. 
> 
> I do not own nor did I create The Gap Cycle, Spartacus, or any of the characters therein. That brilliance comes from the minds of Mr. Donaldson and Mr. DeKnight.

Prologue/Chapter 1  
Prologue

    Anyone with eyes at Ludus Bar & Sleep could have seen what was going to happen long before it did. Things like passion and lust were understandable here, hell everyone in Ludus probably dreamed about a thing like that happening to them. Still though, there were some people who thought they could see below the surface, and just knew there had to be more to it than met they eye.  
  

      In the more affluent section of Capua Station, named ArenaSec, curiosity was most likely not the death sentence it was certain to be in Pit. If you wanted to survive in PitSec, you had to learn fairly quickly to mind your own damned business. People stayed here because they weren't wanted anywhere else, and they thought themselves too intelligent to ask questions that might get them noticed, or cause them trouble. Most were alcoholics, washed up pilots, or even ore pirates, likely involved in illegal activities, though none would ever admit so.  And as far as they were concerned the story was an uncomplicated one, and it started when Nasir MornHyl came into Ludus on the arm of one Ashur Thermopyle.  
  

     Ashur was a shady character, dark and dangerous, and quite possibly the most contemptible man with the right to dock on Capua Station. He had broad, thick, features, and his hair was always greasy looking; in short, a toad, who surely had seen better days, though no one could say when those days had been. Those that got too close to Ashur had a tendency to end up in jail or dead, be they crew, companion or enemy. With his reputation, it wasn't hard to imagine that one day he'd share the same fate. Nasir MornHyl however, was gorgeous, all tanned, taut skin, and long dark locks that fell past his shoulders, wide eyes the color of honey, and full, ripe, lips that could make anyone moan out of lust and yearning. Two people so different from one another had no reason to be together, and it's no wonder they drew the attention of everyone in the joint when they walked in. The repugnance was clear on Nasir's face, as Ashur ordered him around like a slave. Men so inclined were sure to fall asleep that night dreaming - If only he were mine-.

  
     No one gave it a second thought then when Nasir MornHyl and Agron Niklaus locked eyes with one another through the crowd, and the electricity was felt by everyone in the room. Agron was probably one of the most covetable men in PitSec. He owned his own ship, the Captain's Fancy, and had a reputation that painted him as a bold swashbuckler, the kind of hero often portrayed in those old romance novels they used to write back on Earth. He was ridiculously handsome, with the kind of looks that could make any woman do as he asked, and any man offer him whatever he wanted. If he could  be said to have any physical flaw, it would be the tiny scars under his green eyes that grew dark on his fair face whenever he saw something he was intent on acquiring. The cuts had been given to him by a woman from his past, the only time he had ever been bested. She had considered him beneath her, not even worthy enough for death at her hands, so she marked him forever, as a reminder of her contempt and his arrogance.  
  

     Agron had taken a lesson away from all that though. He would never allow himself to be beaten again. Going off half cocked wasn't something he ever allowed himself to do. Control was essential, and he never went into a situation in which he didn't have the upper hand.  
  

     Later, people who were at Ludus that night would swear they had never seen Agron Niklaus' scars look as dark as they did the moment he saw Nasir MornHyl. Beauty like that was a siren call to Agron, Nasir's eyes flashing brightly at him, where a moment before they had looked lifeless and dull beside Ashur. Surprisingly though, nothing happened that night. Everyone had expected something, maybe even the two of them tearing off their clothes and going at it on top of one of the tables. But it didn't happen that night.  
  

     Two and a half weeks later though, Capua Station Security charged into Ludus, and arrested Ashur Thermopyle on the spot, charging him with theft and who knew what else, and Nasir MornHyl was instantly gone with Agron Niklaus. It would seem Nasir managed to escape Ashur at just the right time, and the dark, beautiful boy and the dashing ship captain were gone, and Ashur was left to rot, having been handed down a life sentence. It became the kind of tale whispered about in the early hours of the morning in PitSec by sad dreamers and broken-down drunks.  
  

     So that was the simple story, just not the real one.  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Chapter 1

    There were some men and women though who saw things through a different lens. People who listened more and drank less noticed the way Nasir MornHyl seemed to pull away from Ashur, even as he sat close to him. They heard the way the boy's voice was dull and flat, almost as if it weren't his own. Certainly they took note of Ashur's hand kept in a fist in the pocket of his greasy, threadbare, shipsuit.  
  

      Nasir had come out from Earth on an expensive oreliner, an independent ship and family operation. The MornHyls were so wealthy that they did everything first class. The only other time Nasir had been on Capua Station, he and his family had stayed in ArenaSec. Money like theirs could only have one source, ore. Asteroids rich in ore were not as common as they had once been, thanks in part to families like the MornHyls, who had financed some of the first mining expeditions, and had then reaped the rewards of their initial investment a hundredfold. For this family to be heading out on their own, they must have somehow acquired a chart, a good one. One that held the location of an asteroid belt so laden with ore that the MornHyls were not willing to risk divulging the location to any of their employees, lest they talk too much to the wrong person, and find their treasure in the hands of someone else.  
    

     Greed was commonplace on Capua Station, and mine jumpers and ore pirates had long plagued the reputable prospectors and miners that docked there. The station had been forced to adopt a policy of firing on any ship that tried to follow another out of dock. So it would appear that when the MornHyl ship, Starmaster, left Capua Station, she got out safely. Obviously though, station security had been outdone. It was said that Ashur Thermopyle had become rich as the stars without ever seeming to do any real work, and without having to share his profit with any crew. Whatever the case, Starmaster never came back. Nasir did though, with Ashur, and a lifeless tone of voice and an obvious revulsion to Ashur. And Ashur kept that one hand in his pocket, closed into a tight fist.  
  

     There was only one explanation for a thing like that. Lacking any real evidence, a portion of the people in PitSec decided that Ashur must have given Nasir a zone implant, and the control was in his pocket.  That little device, the implant, was an electrode that could be placed inside the brain, and had been invented by a doctor looking to cure epilepsy. The name "zone" was chosen because by tuning the implant's emissions, one could effectively control many different areas, or zones of the brain. Violent tendencies could be curbed, OCD tempered, even free will could be suppressed, all without impairing coordination or consciousness. A human being could be easily turned into a slave, and an implant in the hands of a ruthless and immoral handler could be the worst form of cruelty ever. For that reaason unauthorized use of a zone implant was so illegal that it resulted in immediate capital punishment, no possibility for appeals.  
    

     Medically necessary zone implants were an entirely different thing, though. Once makind had invented the gap drive, a disease called gap sickness had been discovered. Affecting about one percent of the population, crossing the dimensional gap caused the afflicted to have a complete break from reality, turning them into a raving lunatic, or a psychotic killer, or a pill-dependent junkie. Gap sickness had no known cure. The zone implant however, could help control it. Authorized zone implant use occurred when an entire ship's crew attested to the fact that either they or the person given the implant would be dead or grievously injured without the use of one. The United Mining Companies Police, or UMCP, the only real authority this far out in space, would pardon all individuals involved in a case like this. So essentially every ship was allowed to have the technology to perform such an operation on board.  
 

    Naturally, the assumption was that Ashur Thermopyle had found a way to bypass Capua Station security and follow the MornHyl ship out of dock. Somehow he found them, and managed to wreck their ship, doing away with the family and keeping Nasir alive. The boy was beautiful, the kind of beauty most men could only dream about, and with a zone implant in his brain, and a sick fuck like Ashur in control of it, the possibilities were endless.  
    

     Whether this were true or not, Agron Niklaus cared little. It could be that his desire for Nasir was so overwhelming that he just couldn't be bothered by it. What he did do was bide his time, waiting until he was certain of success. Most people surmised that Agron hoped for Ashur to be arrested while in possession of Nasir's implant. That would result in his execution, and Nasir would have the implant removed, and then... then Nasir would be all Agron's.  
  

      Opportunity arose for just that scenario two weeks later, when the incoming supply ship from Earth sent out a distress call. The ship was several weeks ahead of schedule, and it was in trouble. It carried an entire year's haul of food, pharmaceutical supplies, and other equipment, and it was just drifting out there, waiting for any pirate worth his reputation to come along and plunder it. Capua Station immediately locked down after receiving the distress signal, and was prepared to fire on any ship that attempted to depart in that moment.

 

     Only Ashur's ship, Bright Beauty, and Captain's Fancy managed to get away. Agron's ship did so by doing a "blink crossing", which entailed using his gap drive, and then disengaging it a matter of seconds later, coming out maybe a hundred thousand kilometers from the most advanced radars capabilities. Ashur's ship, though, was a pile of junk compared to Captain's Fancy, and so when ordered by security to return to dock or be fired upon, he sent out a distress signal of his own. Essentially he claimed mechanical failures, and in those few seconds the poor sap in charge of giving the order to fire took to think, Ashur engaged his thrust boosters, and he too managed to put distance between Bright Beauty and Capua Station.  
  

     Two days later both ships came back. Bright Beauty's hull was riddled with matter cannon fire, and barely passed inspection. After facing an official inquiry Ashur and Nasir were released and they limped into Ludus to sleep. Captain's Fancy also had obviously sustained damage, but with his usual cavalier attitude, he laughed his way out of an inquiry and was free and clear to head to Ludus, his usual spot to celebrate upon returning to station. The supply ship had vanished without a trace, and nothing had been found to link either of the pirates to it.  
  

      In the middle of the night, Cap Station security stormed Ludus and took Ashur into custody. It would seem they had some type of evidence, and they boarded Bright Beauty, and accessed the ship's main computer. This revealed to them all the hidden holds, in which they found all the supplies from the supposedly missing ship. Just before being put in cuffs, Ashur grabbed Nasir, a frightened and wild look in his eyes. Nasir though, managed to pull away, aided by Agron's crew members, and then the two of them were gone. The dashing hero made off with the boy in need of rescue, and it was all anyone could talk about for days. What those two ere doing together far from Capua Station was the topic of discussion. Those with romantic notions spoke of the tale with tears in their eyes, while others with baser tendencies did so with hardening of their cocks.  
  

     What everyone seemed to discount was that there were flaws in this story. The first being that the supply ship from Earth arrived a few weeks later, on schedule, completely intact and totally ignorant of any distress signal. The second was that Ashur did not have a zone implant control on him when he was arrested, presumably why he had been given a life sentence instead of the death penalty.  
  

     Of course, the first thing could be explained away. Obviously Agron had found a way to frame Ashur, faking the distress call, and planting supplies stolen from Station itself in Ashur's hidden cargo holds. The lack of a zone implant however, was something that not one person in Ludus could explain. If the implant had never existed, why then did Nasir stay with Ashur, even when he was so clearly disgusted by the man? It held no sense, and when a detail like that didn't fit, it was sometimes better just to ignore it, forget about it, and as far as anyone cared, they had their story already. For the company at Ludus however, the real story would have been much harder to stomach.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Through a completely unanticipated set of circumstances, Nasir and Ashur are thrown together. Their lives will now be altered drastically, and their futures forever entwined from that fateful day on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Agron will not be making an appearance in this chapter, sorry. But I promise he will be back soon, he just likes to make a grand entrance, so stick around! Also warnings for some violence in the following.

    

     Some parts of the story would forever remain secret, because Ashur Thermopyle refused to talk. One thing the prosecutors did turn up in their savaging of Bright Beauty and her datacore, was that Ashur's supposed wealth, didn't exist. His reputation, it would seem, was a lie, because he could barely cover the expense of running his ship. The reason for that was explained by the second thing they discovered- Bright Beauty was equipped with far more sophisticated technology than a simple little ship like that could ever need. She had so many sensors and particle tracers installed, and her shields and armor were top of the line. Her thrust drive had been modded to operate at five times the norm, and her main board was equipped with so many relays, and overrides, that it would appear she could be manned by one person alone, even though everyone agreed that it would be suicidal to even attempt it. Tech like that must have cost a fortune, and it would certainly explain Ashur's current finances.

    What little evidence was found in the ship's datacore was enough to charge him of piracy, but nothing like murder, or unauthorized zone implant use. Plus, Ashur outright refused to defend himself in any way, so the prosecutors never learned where he had been able to modify Bright Beauty, and there was no record of his having been in any actual skirmishes, so the damage to the ship could not be explained.  Not even when questioned about his relationship with Nasir, and confronted with evidence of stolen supplies hidden aboard his ship did he open his mouth. He remained a silent statue. Except when he got the news that Bright Beauty was being scuttled, and would be taken apart and used for spare parts. Then he had roared like a madman, spitting obscenities at his guards, and beat on the door to his cell until his hands were bloody and they were forced to inject him with cat to knock him out.

    Hours later, when he came out of the induced catatonia, he sat huddled in the corner, his head buried in his hands, and forced himself to relive how he had been brought to such ruin. It was all _**his**_ fault, Nasir MornHyl, and Ashur swore to himself that if he ever managed to get out of prison, he would find that little fucker, and tear him apart with his bare hands while he forced Captain Agron Fucking Niklaus to watch.

    The day Starmaster had cruised into dock on Capua Station, warning bells went off in Ashur's head. Logically, he had no reason to be leery of Starmaster. He was not the kind of man to leave any witnesses to his crimes, and the only thing that might incriminate him was his ship's datacore, but it had been years since he had taken measures to assure no one would ever find out **_those_** secrets. But his instincts had never led him astray and he was not about to start doubting them now.  So with no real explanation for the why, Ashur turned his scanners and his probes toward the MornHyl's sleek oreliner.

    What he found there made no sense. Starmaster's hull was made from an alloy that he had heard of but had never actually seen on a ship. This substance was so dense that matter cannon fire would roll off it like water off a fucking duck. And this shit was costly too, he couldn't imagine that even the MornHyl family had that kind of dough. This was far from the only information he gleaned from his readings. Weaponry on a ship like Starmaster was pretty standard, but this one had some serious guns on her. Matter cannon, plasma torpedoes, you name it, this ship had it. So when he finished looking at his readings for the third time, Ashur Thermopyle hightailed it out of dock, not looking back even once.

    Information on Starmaster wasn't important to him, not even food or supplies mattered in that moment. All he wanted was to put as much distance between himself and that behemoth as possible. In fact he was in such a hurry that he didn't even take the time to repaint Bright Beauty's name on the side his treasured ship, and that was one thing he **_never_** failed to do before setting off into the dark of deep space. He didn't bother to pray, he didn't believe in any God, but he did dare to hope that he'd be able to run far enough and fast enough to get away from that ship, because she set his senses tingling like nothing he'd ever felt before.

    He would have to pilot the ship alone, because the last unfortunate he had coerced into crewing for him had asked just one question too many, so Ashur had strangled the man in his sleep and stuffed his body in one of the thruster tubes to be incinerated as soon as he cut the boosters on. Perhaps he wasn't as wealthy as everyone in Ludus thought he was, be he certainly was all the other things they believed, a cold-blooded murderer included. Under as much gravity as his body could take, Ashur ran like the coward he was from Starmaster. The toll of operating the ship alone, under such duress, made his muscles spasm and his eyes twitch, but still he pushed himself. He pumped his own body full of drugs in his medbay, stims to keep himself conscious, and cats to steady himself.

    The part of the belt he was heading for had long since been mined out and he figured it would be a perfect place to lay low for awhile. He'd been traveling under heavy g for two days now, and it was getting harder to breathe. At first the thought it was just the stress, but before long he realized the air aboard Bright Beauty was indeed turning toxic. Cursing, he remembered too late that he had not taken the time to purchase new air scrubbers, which were the only thing that kept his air breathable. He was also going to run out of food and water, and soon. Fucking MornHyl's and their fucking ship! If he ever got the chance, he'd make those shits pay.

    Ashur was nothing though if not a survivor, so when he found the miner's  camp, he didn't hesitate. He went at them heavy, using his blasters to send the people on that asteroid running for cover, and then he set his ship down right on top of the camp, effectively torching the people below. Wasting no time, he made his way to the lockers to get an EVA suit on, when his ship's warnings went off like a five alarm fire. There was another ship out there, parked practically right on top of him. How in the hell had she found him? It was fucking Starmaster. She had just come out of heavy g and was closing on him fast. The transmisson reached him loud and clear.

    "Bright Beauty, this is Captain Dahvi MornHyl, commanding officer of the UMCP destroyer Starmaster. Ashur Thermopyle, you have committed murder and are ordered to stand down. Lower your shields, and prepare to be boarded, or you will be fired upon."

    What the fuck? The MornHyl's were part of the private cops that enforced Earth's laws in space? It didn't make any damned sense! But what did it matter, because in a few short seconds they'd be close enough to blast him to bits. His cameras gave him a perfect view of his imminent death, as Starmaster prepared to fire. Just at the last second, inexplicably, he watched as a massive explosion took the gigantic ship out. The shockwaves knocked Bright Beauty loose of the asteroid's gravity, and riddled her with debris, his scanners going crazy once more. Not stopping to think, Ashur quickly scanned for any signs of life. Two, possibly three blips showed in his screens. Three people stood between himself and fresh air, food, and water.

    Rage filled his heart, and he knew this was his chance to get revenge on these fuckers for what they had done to him. Jamming himself into and EVA suit, he refused to acknowledge the terror the thing always made him feel. As soon as he opened the air lock, he engaged the thrusters of the suit, and navigated his way to the UMCP ship, easily finding the air lock there, and waiting as it cycled open. Once inside, he threw himself to the side, knowing the survivors might still be waiting to ambush him. Those instincts were right again, because a man in his late forties stood waiting. He had salt and pepper, close cropped hair, and dark skin.

    "I am Captain Dahvi MornHyl, and you, Ashur Thermopyle, are under arrest." But his eyes hadn't reacted to Ashur's evasive movements. Blistered skin around his eyes gave him away. The explosion must have flash blinded him, and still the fucker was trying to bluff him! Ashur chuckled low, and fired his impact rifle straight at the captain's face, spraying blood and bits of brain matter on the wall.

    "Apologies, Captain MornHyl," he muttered to the man's corpse, "but I don't think I'll be letting you take my ship today." He turned on his suit's scanner, and used it to lock on to the remaining survivor. He moved swiftly towards his destination, and blasted the door open with rifle fire, and came face to face with a sight that stopped him cold. A boy sat at a console, his eyes radiating shock and terror.

    Ashur took a step towards the boy, but he didn't react at all. His eyes were wide, and his mouth hung open. If Ashur didn't do something to help him, he would probably sit that way until he died. And Ashur certainly wasn't here to offer his assistance. Then, the boy spoke, in a hoarse and cracked whisper.

    "Leave me alone. Go away. I don't need your help, just leave me here. To die."  
 

    Ashur stared at the boy, taking in details he had missed at first glance. The badge on his chest read "Ensign Nasir MornHyl." Could he be the captain's son? He was beautiful, and young too. His first mission maybe?  
 

    "Let me die," the boy repeated.

    "Tell me what happened here," Ashur demanded. "Did you do something to cause this?"

     Abruptly, Nasir covered his eyes with his hands, and began a low, keening moan, deep in his throat. Then, with no warning at all, he leapt from his seat and threw himself at Ashur. He beat unsuccessfully at the suit, trying to get to the man beneath. And Ashur took the first step down the path that would lead to his eventual ruin: he dropped his rifle, and didn't shoot the boy dead there. What he did was draw back his fist, and hit the boy with all his force.

    He couldn't have explained it if he tried, but for some unfathomable reason, he picked Nasir up in a fireman's carry and carried him to the lockers. He put the unconscious boy in and EVA suit, and carried him back to Bright Beauty. Taking him straight to the medbay, he removed the EVA suit, leaving the boy in his own UMCP shipsuit. There he strapped him down and shot him up with enough to cat to last several hours.  
 

   Exhausted, he made his way back to Starmaster, and looted her for all his own ship could carry. Food, water, meds, clothes, and enough air scrubbers to last years. Bright Beauty was now better stocked than she had been the day he aqcuired her. As much as he wanted to sleep, he forced himself to lift off from the asteroid, and cruise until he found a safer place to hide out. As soon as he did, he powered down his ship, checked on Nasir once, and trudged to his cabin, threw himself onto his bunk and slept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you have enjoyed this story so far, because I am definitely enjoying writing it. Questions will be answered in the coming chapters, and there is so much more in store for both the heroes and the villains in this tale!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nasir is now alone with Ashur, who is free to torment and degrade him to any extent his mind can conjure. Also we are offered a small glimpse into Nasir's past and that of his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Non-con, violence, torture elements in the following. Additionally this will be the final chapter without Agron.

     Eighteen hours later, Ashur woke, and took a breath of clean, fresh air. He could smell the stink on himself from sweating too many hours in the same shipsuit. He dragged  himself to the shower in his cabin, and stood under the spray of water until he no longer felt dirty. Pulling on a clean suit, Ashur made his way to the galley and tore open a ration bar from the stolen Starmaster supplies. As he munched contentedly, he made a quick stop at his main board to be  certain he was alone in this little corner of space, and then proceeded to medbay to check in on Nasir.

    The cat had worn off hours ago, so the boy was wide awake. The stare he fixed on Ashur as the medbay door slid open was one of pure terror. Eyes and nose were red and swollen; it was obvious he had been crying.

    "Why did you bring me here? What do you want with me?" the kid managed to choke out.

    Ashur didn't answer the boy's question. Instead, he smiled a sick, twisted, smile, and took a few steps closer. He reached out and ran his thumb over Nasir's bottom lip, wanting to gauge his reaction. The boy squeezed his eyes shut, flinching away from the touch. Good, that meant he was afraid.

    "So, would you like something to eat? No? Do you need to sit up, stretch your muscles a bit? How about a shower?"

    That got a reaction out of Nasir, and anger flashed in his eyes. His jaw tightened, and he pursed his lips together. "You asshole. If you want to kill me, why don't you just get it over with? Don't play your mind games with me, just do it already."

    Ashur leaned in close, "You're right you know, you little shit. I am an asshole, probably the biggest bastard you'll ever meet. So that's why you're gonna answer my questions. What happened out there? Your ship was in position to fire on me. And then, you went boom. I want to know why."

    The kid wouldn't answer. Stubbornly, he turned his face away so he wouldn't have to look at his captor.  
 

   Even though Ashur had already seen the kids' name, he made a show of grabbing his i.d. tag."Nasir MornHyl, huh? Captain MornHyl's son, am I right? I blasted him, did you know that? Of course, it didn't matter. The fucker was dead anyway. His ship blew up, that wasn't my fault." Ashur took another tack. He tried to reason with Nasir. "Listen, I will let you get up, shower, get you a clean shipsuit, cause from what I can tell, you've soiled the one you've got on. Just tell me what happened."

    He took another step down that self-destructive path without even knowing it. Almost tenderly, he grasped Nasir's chin and turned his face. The boy's eyes were somewhere else, probably back on Starmaster. "I was in the auxiliary bridge, at my console, and I... I initiated a self-destruct sequence."  
 

   "What the fuck did you just say?" Ashur gasped incredulously.

    "We had just come out of heavy g, it was my first time, and it was nearly unbearable. I felt like I was going to be ripped apart. And then, I didn't anymore. It's like I had clarity, like I could see the mysteries of the universe, and I knew what I was supposed to do. I started keying in the codes, and then my father was yelling at me through the intercom, and telling me to stop. But I just kept going, as fast as I was entering the codes though, he was overriding them. That's why only the thrusters blew, why some parts of the ship retained integrity.  Suddenly though, I couldn't see anymore. Everything I thought I saw was a lie, and I... I had killed my father, my crew, for nothing."

    Nasir fell silent then, and closed his eyes once more. Ashur needed a minute to think anyway, so he let that pass. It couldn't be, could it? Gap sickness? Shit, he had brought a fucking nutcase aboard his ship. But what was it that triggered this kid's gap sickness? The disease came in all forms - that was what was so scary about it. It was unpredictable. And then it hit him. Heavy g...

    "You say this was your first time under heavy g? What about in the academy?"

    "Only in simulations..." came the answer.

    "What the fuck was I thinking, bringing you here? You're a fucking cop, a witness, and to make matters worse, you're fucking gap sick! If we have to go heavy, you're going to go all psycho and try to kill me. Why didn't I just leave you on that ship to die?" Ashur exploded at the boy.

    "Now's your chance. No one will be the wiser. Kill me now and jettison my body into deep space."

    "No, I can't do that. You're going to be my crew, and you can't do that if you're dead."

    A long time ago, Ashur had disconnected his medbay computer from his main board. He'd even gone one further, and programmed the medbay system to automatically erase every procedure it ever performed. He had done so to ensure that there would be one less thing to use against him as evidence if he were ever arrested for something. As far as anyone knew, he had been the only individual to ever use his medbay. He keyed in the instructions, and left the system to do its work. In a matter of minutes, the procedure was complete. The anasthesia was washed from the boy's body, and stim was injected to rouse him.

    Groggily, Nasir opened his eyes and looked around. His limbs were free, and he forced himself into a sitting position. "What did you to me?" he moaned. Ashur didn't bother to respond, he just smirked, and raised his hand, the one that held a little black box. Shock registered on Nasir's face, then outrage. He pushed himself off the table, and took a shaky step in Ashur's direction. Ashur pushed a button on the zone implant control, and Nasir went limp, hitting the floor with a soft thud. He waited for understanding to hit the boy. When he saw it dawn in his otherwise blank eyes, he keyed off the button. As soon as it did, a shudder ran through the kid's beautiful body, and he burst into tears.

    "Why are you doing to this to me? You'll be executed for this you know. They'll strap you down and shoot you full of posion," sobbed Nasir.

    Ashur wanted to hit the kid, but he couldn't. Somehow the boy had gotten under his skin. It pissed him off. "Because, I need a crew. And you're my only option. Now go get clean." As Nasir stood, he wobbled. Ashur pushed a clean shipsuit at him, and pointed to the medbay shower. As he waited for Nasir to finish, rage built up inisde him. What the fuck was wrong with him. He couldn't let himself feel sorry for the little bastard. That would only lead to trouble. When the bathroom door finally opened, Nasir stepped out, looking clean, and achingly gorgeous. Probably the most beautiful human being Ashur had ever laid eyes on. His hair was tied back, showing off the angles of his face, the wideness of those amber eyes. The despair and fear in them only added to his allure, and Ashur found himself hating Nasir for it. He did the only thing he could think of to do. He pressed a button on the box that froze Nasir's movements. Then he crossed the distance between them, and hit Nasir with his fist again, and again.

    Later, as he stood over Nasir, he was repulsed by what he had done. Not the actual violence, but the fact that he had hurt something which was now his. It would be like purposely damaging Bright Beauty. Because Nasir was his just as much as his ship was. The black box in his pocket proved that to him. He picked Nasir up off the floor, and carried him back to the operating table, and instructed the system to treat his injuries. Apply liquid stitch to his cuts, and anti-inflammatory drugs to the bruises that were already forming on the boy's perfect face. Another step.

    Irrationally, he blamed Nasir for making him do something so out of his own character. He wanted to hurt him, but more than anything, he wanted to own him, and he wanted Nasir to know it. The anasthesia was still being cleared from his system, so he would wake up soon. Ashur wasted no time. He took a few steps forward and yanked off Nasir's shipsuit, dragging him to the very edge of the table. He shed his own suit just as quickly, and spit into his own hand, then reached down to slick up his cock and stroke himself to full hardness. He shoved Nasir's legs up and positioned himself. With a grunt, he pushed himself mercilessly into Nasir' tight, unwilling heat, and began to thrust. In a few short moments, it was over, and he came hard, filling the boy with his release as stars clouded his own eyes. Just as he pulled out, he saw Nasir's eyes flutter, and realization take root there. Ashur turned away from Nasir's accusing stare, and pulled his own suit back on.

    "Are you that much of a bastard that you have to destroy me to make yourself feel like a man?" Nasir choked out.

    "Shut your fucking mouth, you little cunt. You better get used to it."

    "People like you are the reason my father became a cop. Me too. You know who the MornHyl's are. We're rich, we've got more money than God. But my father got tired of sitting back and raking in all this cash, when the ones who were out there earning it for us were being attacked by garbage like you. He didn't want to live with all that blood on his hands. So he enlisted, and put the family fortune to good use. I followed in his and my mother's footsteps. I swear, I will see you burn for this. For what you've done to me, to my father," Nasir stated bitterly.

    Ashur threw his head back and roared laughter. "Me? I'm the danger lurking out in space? Just remember kid, I'm not the one who blew up your ship. You did that, all on your own. I'm just a pirate, but you? You're a murderer, and a blood traitor."

    Nasir visibly flinched and turned his face away again, retreating into his own memories. His father and mother swam through his head, and Nasir remembered that it was his mother's death that had finally given him the push he needed to decide to enter the academy when he came of age. He had been a child still, and his father had come to see Nasir at his grandparents home where he stayed when his parents were on missions. His father told him how their ship had received an SOS call from a miner's camp deep in the belt. The camp had been raided by a ship called Gutbuster, and Dahvi MornHyl decided to give chase. That ship they were after was armed like nothing they had ever seen before. Gutbuster was equipped with a super-light proton cannon, and she fired. Not a direct hit, but a damn good one. Knocked out the shields and the targeting system. If she hadn't needed time to recharge that cannon, she could have finished the job right then and there. Bryony MornHyl was on the auxiliary bridge that day, and while her station began to lose atmosphere, she worked to seal off the area, and reroute targeting so that the ship could still fire its guns. That was the only reason Dahvi MornHyl had survived. Nasir's mother had given her life to save everyone on board that ship, and Dahvi had used those guns, fired on Gutbuster until she cut and run. By the time his father had finished his story, Nasir had known what he was going to do with his life. He was going to honor his mother and her sacrifice, and he would not let anything stop him.

    Nasir opened his eyes again, and fixed them on Ashur. "You're right. Maybe it won't be me that stops you. But someone will. There are other cops out there. Better and stronger than me. Someone like..." he trailed off, not willing to give Ashur this little part of himself.

    "Wrong again," the pirate sang. "I've been at this shit a long time, and I haven't been caught yet. I don't think it'll ever happen. I'm too smart and too mean for that. And now, you belong to me, and I'm going to have some fun with you. You're mine, you hear me? Mine."

    The defiance in Nasir's eyes frightened Ashur, and when something scared him that way, he wanted to hurt it. He took out the zone implant control and tapped a sequence of buttons. "Sit up," he commanded. He handed Nasir a scalpel, and then jabbed his finger at his face, right below his eye. "Put the blade there. Now, cut..." Helpless to resist, Nasir drew the scalpel down his face, leaving  a thin, red line about an inch or so long on his face. "Now drop it."

    Ashur had intended to use Nasir again, maybe force him to his knees and fuck that pretty little mouth of his. But as he watched the blood trickle down that angelic face, he lost his nerve. He sighed, sadly, and pressed the buttons that put the boy to sleep. Then he walked back to his own cabin, and raged until he was too exhausted to continue.

    The days passed, and though Ashur still took his pleasure with Nasir, he found his desire waning. Everytime he hurt the boy, it seemed he hurt himself a little too, and that was something that was unacceptable. When he fucked Nasir, it was without relish, as though it were a duty he was having to perform. In a way it was, because what he was trying to do was break him. Make him understand that he would never be free again, that he was completely owned. And it was working. As they made their way slowly back to Cap-Station, Nasir's eyes gradually lost their fire. Even when not under the control of the implant, his movements were listless, and he heeded Ashur's every command as though he were still in the academy and Ashur his instructor. And lately, when he pounded into Nasir, the boy had stopped fighting it, instead just laying there obediently until it was done. And Ashur started to hope, that maybe, just maybe, the beautiful boy was starting to become dependent on him, to need him, maybe even to want him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was quite dark, but please I hope you will continue to stick around. Agron makes his appearance in the next chapter and I hope you will be pleased with his actions and his words.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Agron finally makes his entrance, and the hostility between himself and Ashur reaches a boiling point.

 

     Capua Station control granted Ashur Thermopyle's request to dock with no questions asked. Afterall, there was nothing suspicious about his return yet. The sap in charge of clearing his ship however, could hardly fail to miss the fact that three weeks ago Ashur had left station, alone, and now had returned with a beautiful, quiet young man in tow. Rather than question Ashur outright, he took the man's name, and punched it into the computer, and found out he was a member of one of the riches families on Earth.  Then, things turned sour.

    Ashur and Nasir were questioned by a haughty little investigator. -What happened to Starmaster? How did you end up with Mr. MornHyl?- Of course there was nothing they could really do, because Nasir flashed his UMCP badge and refused to answer their questions, or be separated from Ashur.

    -What happened to Starmaster?  
    Ashur answered. - Dunno, blew up I guess. Maybe a malfunction somewhere.

    -Ensign MornHyl, how did you come to be in Captain Thermopyle's company?  
    -I rescued him. I told you, Starmaster blew up. Maybe it wasn't a malfunction. Maybe one of your guys even sabotaged it. Some clueless fucker, who didn't know Starmaster was covert UMCP, and just saw a posh oreliner ripe for the pickings. How the hell is the kid supposed to know who to trust on this station? Except for me, because I saved his life.

    Round and round the questions went, until finally, security had no choice but to let them go. They didn't have enough evidence to demand to see the ship's  datacore, and as long as Nasir remained close-lipped,  they weren't going to find any either. Afterall, MornHyl was UMCP, and was above Capua Station security. He must have known what he was doing. Ashur and Bright Beauty were cleared, and the investigators watched them head off toward PitSec. It would appear Ashur's bluff had succeeded.

    In reality, he was far from eager to stop in at Ludus, but he knew that even though he had been released, it didn't mean security wasn't watching his every move. He needed to act normally now, and the most normal thing for him would be to head to Ludus and have a few drinks. As they walked he stayed one step behind Nasir. He took note of every man who so much as glanced at Nasir, marking them and devising elaborate schemes in his head of killing each and every one of them. He'd never had anyone look at him with envy before, and he wasn't entirely sure he liked it. They'd been sitting at a table in the corner of the bar when he spotted Agron Niklaus, and suddenly he felt as though all the wind had been knocked from his lungs. He forced himself not to react, he would not show that weakness here in front of the entire crowd.

    Ashur and Agron had been, if not outright enemies, then at least hostile towards one another for years already. From the first moment they had come face to face, he had seen the way Agron looked at him, how he flashed that careless, contemptuous grin, lording his superiority over Ashur like a club. Agron was everything Ashur was not, handsome, charismatic, brave, and daring. Tonight though, Agron didn't even bother to sneer at Ashur as was his custom. In fact he dismissed him immediately, and settled his gaze on Nasir. The scars under Agron's eyes did darken as the blood rushed to his face.  Worse though than that, Ashur saw Nasir's reaction to the man. Even though his mouth remained closed, and his face passive, Ashur now knew his treasure well. He saw the way his cheeks flushed, and his eyes seemed to brighten, and that burned Ashur to his very core.

    There were any number of things he could make Nasir do, had made him do, but he could never make the boy want him the way he did Agron. He might be able to force Nasir into submission, but it would never be enough again. Compared to the the smolder of Agron's gaze, Ashur was less than nothing, even with the control to Nasir's implant in his hands.

    The thing that Ashur could never know was that Nasir didn't see Agron as symbol of lust at all, at least not then. After the things Ashur had done to him, Nasir knew he wouldn't be able to stomach another man's hands on him. The thing that had jumped inside Nasir at the sight of Agron was hope. Here was a man who was strong enough, smart and shrewd enough, crafty enough to help Nasir destroy Ashur. His hatred for Ashur burned hot, and now, it would seem he had found the one person who could beat the man at his own games.

    As for Agron, well he certainly noticed Nasir's beauty right off and was drawn to it. He had a taste for beautiful things, and his reputation as a lover was known far and wide. He wanted the boy, and already he was imagining all the things he would do with a delicious little body like that under his own.  But more than that, Agron liked a challenge, and he loved to win. He saw in Nasir a chance to show Ashur exactly what he thought of him, something he'd been aching to do for ages. The thought had his hands itching with excitement.

    Through his rage and his sadness, Ashur was blind to the truth of the situtation he now found himself in. He thought Nasir had lusted after Agron at first sight, and that Agron felt the exact same way. He couldn't have been more wrong. All he knew was that one way or another, if he wanted to hold onto Nasir, he was going to have to kill Agron Niklaus. Doing so might even serve a double purpose, because it would hurt Nasir, maybe almost as much as Nasir's betrayal had hurt him. For now though, he forced himself to remain in his seat, downing drinks he had no desire for, just to show Agron that he couldn't intimidate him. Finally, hours later, Ashur stood, and grabbed Nasir by the arm, pulling him to his feet, and shoving him roughly in front of him and towards the door. He could have gone another way, but he swallowed the bile rising in his throat and passed right by Agron's table. For the first time that evening, Agron looked at Ashur, and a smug smirk passed his features as he inclined his head once towards the repulsive man. Ashur's eyes bulged in his head, but he kept his mouth closed, and it was all Agron could do not to bark laughter at him.

    Once they were back on Bright Beauty, Ashur had every intention of taking out his fury on Nasir, and by the set of the boy's lips, he knew it to. Fully expecting to be fucked till he bled, he sat quietly as Ashur keyed in the locks, and set the alarms. Once he was done securing the ship for the night, Ashur turned to look at Nasir. Pulling the implant control out of his pocket, he considered pressing the button that rendered the boy immobile. Though his brain was screaming at him to punish Nasir, Ashur's hands seemed to have a will of their own. Instead, he simply put Nasir to sleep, and crossed the short distance to where they boy sat. Gently, he picked Nasir up, and carried him to his cabin, setting him down on the bunk. He fluffed the pillow,and tucked the blanket around Nasir, making sure he was completely covered. He stopped at the door to look back once more before it slid shut, and with his heart feeling like it had been ripped out, stomped on, and put back in his chest, Ashur made his way slowly to the bridge, wiping the tears as they fell from his eyes.

    As Ashur sat at his command station weeping like a little girl, Agron made his way out of Ludus with his crew in tow. Mira Vasaczk, his second in command, followed a step behind him, a scowl marring her otherwise lovely face. Mira knew Agron almost better than he knew himself sometimes, and she could tell they were headed for trouble. Damn Thermopyle, she cursed inwardly! Why couldn't he have taken his pretty little boy and docked somewhere else? Things were going to get real fucked up, real fast, and she blamed Ashur for it.

    For the next almost two weeks, Agron began to time his trips off of Captain's Fancy to match Ashur's. Everywhere the fucking shit went, Agron followed. Always smiling rakishly, but acting the perfect gentleman, while inside his head, he plotted. He needed Ashur to make some kind of a move against him before he could put his real plan into action. Agron could tell it was working because everytime they encountered one another, Ashur's face would turn purple with ill concealed rage. Agron would just smile smugly, like he knew something Ashur didn't, and it was starting to wear the latter man down.

    Almost two weeks to the day since Agron had first laid eyes on Nasir, it would appear that Ashur had reached the end of his tether. He had been assuming Agron was going to make his play, but when it didn't happen, it had unsettled him. On this night, he flat out refused to be chased from the bar, so he stubbornly sat at his usual table, Nasir MornHyl tucked tight against him and ordered drink after drink. If Agron wanted to follow him around, well then let him wait all night. Ashur was sure he could outlast the fucker. Finally, when Ashur could stand it no longer, when he felt like he was about to combust under the heat of the other man's stare, Agron and his crew stood to leave.

    As he did, he waved at Ashur and flashed his teeth in a grin. Ashur had had enough. Fuck Captain Agron Fucking Niklaus and his superior attitude. Ashur would teach him a thing or two. Dropping a few credits down on the table, Ashur got up and pulled Nasir behind him. Somehow he managed to arrive at the door to Ludus just as Agron and his people did. His better judgment was screeching at him that this was a bad idea, but he had come too far to back down now. It was obvious that Agron had been waiting for just this very thing to happen.

    "After you, Captain Niklaus," he hissed, not even bothering to keep the hostility from his voice. "It would appear you're in a hurry. Don't let me keep you."

    Agron bowed low, and answered almost cheerfully. "No, quite the opposite in fact. I have nowhere else I need to be at the moment. By all means, Captain Thermo-pile, you first." His eyes were on Nasir as he said this last, and Ashur could feel both anger and fear welling in him.

    "It's Ther-mop-uh-lee! Not Thermo-pile. Get it right Niklaus!" he spat.

    Agron cocked his head to the side, "You don't say? Well, would you like to know what I say? I say you're plotting, no, dare I say, you're hatching something. It's in your pocket right now, I believe." He smiled conspiratorially, and continued. "Why not open up to someone about about it? You know, let them inside, to help you?"

    "I don't know what you're talking about, but if you'd like, maybe you can clear it up for me outside," drawled Ashur, desperately trying to maintain a calm facade. "After you," he repeated.

    "No, I insist. I'm after you," chirped Agron.

    Ashur pushed his way past Agron and his friends, leaving Nasir to follow in his wake. Once outside, Ashur touched one of the buttons on the control box in his pocket, causing Nasir's legs to buckle. Agron, who was right behind the boy, bent low to catch him before he hit the ground, and Ashur whirled, catching Agron in the face with his knee. He had surprise on his side,so while Agron was reaching up towards his mouth which was streaming blood, Ashur grabbed him by the collar of his shipsuit and slammed him hard against the wall, cracking his head against the doorframe. That's as far as he got because then Agron's second, a woman with dark hair and brown, almond shaped eyes had lifted Nasir from the floor and was holding him in a headlock.

    "Let him go," Mira snarled, "or I'll break your little toy's neck."

    "You won't get far if you do. And I will fucking rip your captain's God-damned pretty little head off if you don't PUT HIM THE FUCK DOWN!" Ashur screamed at her.

    Mira's eyes narrowed even further, but then she caught sight of Agron who was smiling despite the blood drenching his chin, and he nodded once to her. Reluctantly, Mira let the boy go, and he dropped to the floor instantly. She took a step back, her stare fixed on Ashur. One hand dipped into his pocket, and he restored Nasir's legs to him, and snapped, "Get up." Then he released Agron completely and tugged Nasir behind him, heading for the safety of his ship, not looking back once. If he had, then surely he would have seen the look of triumph Agron wore proudly on his handsome face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Agron finally made his appearance, and put his plan into motion. There will be more secrets coming to light in the chapters to come, and this part of the series is drawing to a close soon. Part 2 will be coming immediately after.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse into Agron's past as he prepares to take down Ashur and rescue Nasir.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is all about Agron, and is meant to precipitate character growth.

  

   Leisurely footsteps marked Agron's way back to Captain's Fancy, masking the adrenaline he forced down. Mira was at his heel, and she didn't bother to hide her irritation, but she would never dare to question him here in front of everyone. She and Agron were close, and he trusted her implicitly, but she also knew what he was like when backed into a corner. He would lash out at her, and she had no wish to have it out with him right here on the docks.

    Mira opened her mouth to say something as they entered the airlock, but Agron silenced her with a look. The rest of the crew was still present, and Agron would not allow Mira to question his judgment now, no matter how many years they had been together. Instead he gave her an order, one that did not allow for discussion. "Make sure everything is ready. When I give the word, we go. For now I'll be in my cabin, and I don't want any interruptions." Mira clamped her lips shut, and nodded to her captain, watching him stride away towards the sleeping quarters, while she headed for the bridge.

    Once in the relative privacy of his cabin, Agron hooted wild laughter and clenched his fists in celebration. This would work, he knew it. He had taken alot of time to look into Ashur and find out everything he could about the man, and had studied him intently ever since he had first laid eyes on Nasir MornHyl. Now all his plans were coming to fruition, and he could barely contain himself. Ashur was a smart fuck, but he was also easily manipulated. Oh it was almost too easy, but it sure as shit felt good to finally have the opportunity to teach the fucking toad his place.

    Winning was Agron's favorite feeling in life, ever since the day that bitch had cut his face, and killed his little brother. Agron and Duro had only been a few years apart, and had grown up on Rhine Station, which was much like the one he was currently docked on. The boys' father had worked traffic control, and on numerous occassions he had taken young Agron and Duro with him to work. They spent hours standing with their little faces pressed to the glass, falling in love with the mysteries of space, but most of all with the ships. Agron had promised Duro that one day, they would leave that chunk of metal and glass and cable, and they'd do it together. But then one day when Agron was barely out of boyhood, a ship docked at Rhine that stole Agron Niklaus' breath away. The ship was Captain's Fancy, and it was in remebrance of that ship from long ago that he had given the same name to his own vessel once he acquired it.

    Two weeks he watched that shiny, powerful little ship, and each day he grew more and more enamored. Finally he gathered the courage to go and speak with the captain, thinking that he would prostrate himself before the man if he would only give him a chance to become part of his crew. Auctus was a seasoned veteran of deep space, and he saw something in Agron that reminded him much of himself, and so against his better judgment, he agreed to take Agron on as cabin boy. The merchant vessel and her crew were on leave for two more weeks, at the end of which they would depart, carrying goods for the the ports at the furthest edge of mankind's territory. Feeling as though he were floating in zero g, Agron raced home to tell his brother of his unbelievable good fortune.

    Duro though, was less than thrilled and had hurled curses at Agron, berating him for being a disloyal brother, and for breaking their vows. Agron attempted to reason with Duro, promising that in a few years, he would convince Captain Auctus to bring Duro on as well, and then they would be together again. He was not abandoning Duro, he was only securing their future. The younger Niklaus brother was having none of it, and he had stormed out of their home, and headed straight to drown his sorrows in drink, and then he met her, the woman who would eventually end his life and set Agron on a very different path from the one he imagined.

    The woman had smarts in abundance, and she knew exactly what she was doing. She listened to Duro's moaning every night, as she took him to her bed. Duro was just a kid, he didn't know what he was getting himself into. Agron would later hate himself for being too busy learning his job and getting to know his crewmates to pay attention to the fact that his brother was spending so much time with such a woman. The fucking bitch had convinced Duro to betray Agron, stealing his i.d. tag so she could feed the data on it into her computer, which would give all the details on Captain's Fancy and it's filed trajectory.

    Duro had convinced himself that this woman wanted Captain's Fancy in the same way the Niklaus brothers did. And besides, wouldn't the life of an illegal be preferable to one as simple merchants. Traversing Forbidden Space had always appealed to them as children, and with her, they might have it. The morning of Agron's departure from Rhine Station, Duro saw him off with hugs and a cryptic "See you soon, brother." Then he had gathered his own belongings and run straight to his lover and her own ship. She had already filed her own flight plan, and kept to it long enough to be believable, before cutting around towards Captain's Fancy. As they burned thrust, Duro had all sorts of adventures already planned out for himself and Agron. He would be the ship's second, and Agron could be anything else he wanted. He had always wanted to learn engineering, maybe there was someone among the crew who could teach him. They'd be happy, and they'd be together.

    When she fired on Captain's Fancy, ripping her side wide open, Duro had screamed at her. No, he thought, this was not how it was supposed to go. This wasn't part of the plan. Captain's Fancy wasn't supposed to be ruined like this. It was supposed to be theirs! Now it was crippled and useless. She had only laughed and boarded the  defenseless vessel, Duro in tow. She had forced him to watch while she killed the crew, all except Agron. She and her band of illegals had then gutted the ship of everything of value, all while Duro cried and begged and pleaded. He loved her, hadn't she loved him in return? She had only laughed again, and then turned her rifle on Agron, intending to blast him through the heart. But Duro, in a final act of love, had pushed his brother out of harm's way, and had taken the shot meant to kill Agron.

    Helpless to turn away, he had watched as the life left Duro's eyes, and then Agron had raged at the woman. Growling and snarling, he had thrown himself at her, even though he had no weapon and his hands were tied. He would rip the bitch's fucking face off with his fucking teeth if he had to! One of her crew came after him though, and clubbed Agron in the back of the head with the butt of an impact rifle, and he had fallen to his knees. "You're not even worth killing. You let your little brother get mixed up with some bad people, Niklaus. You were so caught up in your own selfishness, that you didn't notice he needed you. And then, you let him get himself killed for you. How does that feel, knowing you were the cause of your baby brother's death?" She had jeered at him, and then her knife told him exactly what she thought of him. By the time she had left him on that floating piece of debris, blood and tears streamed down his face in equal measure.

    And then he was alone on a wreck of a ship, half a million miles from Rhine  Station, with only minimal life support systems still functioning, no guns, and no engine. He didn't die though, because he wouldn't give that woman the satisfaction. Somehow, he had managed to patch together some of the ship's comm systems, and was able to send a distress call, attracting the attention of a passing cruiser. Agron didn't care that he had been rescued, all he cared about was giving the UMCP everything he knew on that woman. He had never seen her again, and as far as he knew, she had never been caught. One day though, she'd dock on the wrong station, and he'd be there, and then he'd make her pay.

    Now though, Agron had other things on his mind. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the memories that were always with him, whether he was drinking, or fighting, or killing, or fucking. Kicking off his boots, he climbed into his bunk, not even bothering to undress. For several hours he simply lay there, staring at the ceiling, going over every detail of his plan. ensuring there were no flaws. His main concern was MornHyl, because the plan wouldn't succeed without his complicity. Agron hated the not knowing, but he was too deep in now. Besides, would he even want to if he could? Maybe he hadn't been able to save Duro from that evil snake-bitch, but he could definitely save Nasir from fucking Ashur.

    With a fierce growl, he stood from his bed and pulled his heavy boots back on. He headed for the lift and punched the button for the bridge. "Everything all right, Mira?" he asked upon entering.

    "All good Agron. Ship's ready, whenever you are."

    "Ok, then. Comm, is that signal ready?"

    "Yes, Cap. On your orders."

    "Begin untethering moorings, release cables slowly. I want to uncouple before they even realize what we're doing. Comm, open a channel." When his communications officer indicated to him the line was open, Agron began speaking to his crew.

    "You all know what we're about to do. A blink crossing isn't anything we haven't done before, the only difference is this time we won't be out in open space. We're going to be right here in Capua Station jurisdiction. They will most likely attmept to stop us. They may even fire on us. I am counting on you all to do your fucking jobs the way I know you can. If any one of you fucks this up, I will personally hand you down a death sentence  if Cap-Station security doesn't get to you first. Niklaus out."

    Captain's Fancy was almost completely undocked when the distress signal began to blare. "Now!" Agron shouted to his navigations officer, and the ship began to maneuver out of the dock. Ignoring the summons from Station, Agron wanted Bright Beauty onscreen. He needed to know that Ashur would take the bait and follow him out. As soon as he was sure the fucking shit-bag was going to bite, he called out, "Engage gap drive on my mark, five second delay and then disengage."

    The entire crew held on tight, not that it would matter if they didn't complete the blink crossing anyway. That much stress could tear a lesser ship apart, but Captain's Fancy was no ordinary ship. Agron had outfitted her with a reinforced hull, and shields that could almost stand up to super-light proton cannon fire. He wasn't worried about his ship in the least. And as long as Ashur was smart enough to follow Captain's Fancy's particle trace, this would all be over in a matter of days.  
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    Just as Agron was uncoupling Captain's Fancy from the dock, Ashur was aboard Bright Beauty shaking Nasir awake. "Wake up, we're going on a little expedition."

    The distress call began sounding, and Ashur's brain was working at gap drive speed levels. He'd put it all together in a matter of a few seconds. Captain Agron Fucking Niklaus was going to make a play for the supply ship. That was a mandatory life sentence, and the one to witness it would be Ashur! In a flash, he began flicking switches and levers, disentangling his lines from the dock. He didn't want that supply ship, he wanted Agron. What he needed was to catch Agron attacking the unfortunate vessel. He could then claim Agron had trained his guns on Bright beauty first, and he would be within his legal rights to fire on and destroy Captain's Fancy. Some of those supplies he could keep for himself, stowed away in his hidden cargo holds and conceivably claim it lost in the battle. The rest he would place in his legitimate holds and return them to Cap-Station, and Ashur would be proclaimed a fucking hero!  
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    Twelve hours later Agron still sat on the bridge. Any minute now he would give the command to turn the ship about, and head right back at Bright Beauty and Ashur. He smiled to himself, imagining the shock on Ashur's fucking toad face when his proximity sensors began wailing. "Nav, about face, let's show this shit eating bastard what he's up against. Thrusters at seventy five percent. Targ, lock torpedoes to coordinates just off of Bright Beauty, we don't want to actually hurt her too badly." This was the moment of truth then, he could feel the adrenaline coursing through him once more. Until the blood dripped off his chin, he hadn't even realized he was biting his lip so hard.

    After that, everything happened so fast. Captain's Fancy fired her torpedoes. Not close enough to cripple Bright Beauty, but enough to cause her systems to go out of whack. Matter cannon fire licked the sides of Ashur's ship, but again, not enough to do actual damage. On-screen they could all see Ashur must be struggling to retain control  of his ship. The more they fired on him, the more Bright Beauty was being knocked around.

    "Targ," Agron called out, "lock torpedoes onto Bright Beauty itself. Comm, give me a direct line to that ship."

    Not able to hide his mood, Agron grinned as he spoke. "Captain Thermo-pile. You've been bested. Remember this moment. Don't ever say I didn't warn you."

    Without even a parting shot, Captain's Fancy altered course, and pulled away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The stage is now set for the final act of Part 1 of Mind the Gap - hope you're enjoying!


	6. Chapter 6/Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Agron's plan is a success and Nasir makes his escape.

   

    Ashur's mouth felt like it was full of sand, and his brain was a dry and empty desert. Something had happened here, something he couldn't define. His ship was in trouble, that much he knew. He'd been off station for all of twelve hours, yet he'd be lucky if he could truge back in twenty four. Capua Station was still the closest dock, but that meant going back and having to face Agron.

    All the fault lay with the boy slumped in the seat next to him. Nasir had passed out from the stress of the brief skirmish with Agron. Ashur wanted nothing more than to get angry and beat Nasir until his face was no longer beautiful, but he couldn't. Instead he reached into his pocket and keyed the button that roused the boy from sleep. Automatically large, brown eyes went to his readouts, and his fingers flew to the buttons on his console. A quick look told Nasir they were pretty banged up, and that one of Bright Beauty's thrusters was shot. Gradually, a look of abject horror began to take over Nasir's features.

    "Did I do this?" he rasped out.

    Ashur could have let him go on thinking his gap sickness had taken over him and that he had tried to set Bright Beauty to self destruct.That would have been the best form of punishment for his betrayal ever, and would have hurt the kid far more than anything Ashur could do to him physically. For some reason unknown to him, Ashur couldn't do that to Nasir.

    "Nope, it was a God damned trap. Niklaus was waiting for us out here. There was never any supply ship. He was just luring us out here for who the fuck knows what reason."

    There was a long pause in which neither Nasir nor Ashur spoke. Perplexed, the boy's brow creased. "Then, why aren't we dead?"

    "Let us go," Ashur answered as he shrugged his shoulders, indicating his lack of understanding as well.

    Cautiously, Nasir raised his eyes to Ashur's face, and spoke in a voice barely above a whisper. "He beat you."

    When Ashur didn't respond, Nasir continued. "You're beaten. We'll be lucky to get this ship back to Capua in one piece."

    Ashur made a face, and sneered at Nasir. "Bet you're proud of Captain Goatfucker, aren't you? You probably think he's some kind of super hero or something..." He trailed off, unable to continue, as images of Nasir in passionate embrace with Agron swam to the forefront of his mind.

    Nasir was chewing his bottom lip, and his eyes were focused on something far away. "Ashur... Ashur, please listen to me." Ashur's heart constricted in his chest. He had never heard Nasir speak his name before.

    "I can save you. If we make it back to Capua Station, they're going to charge you with illegal departure. But I can testify for you. I'm still a cop, and I can tell them you left under my orders. They can't question that. I'll tell them we were after Agron Niklaus, because I knew he had faked that distress call. I can save your life here... But I need you to give me the zone implant control."

    At first, Ashur hadn't understood. Turn on Agron? Why in the fuck would the kid do that for him? But then it all became clear, as though Ashur were the one with gap sickness and this was his mystery to unravel. Nasir wasn't talking about betraying Agron for Ashur. All he wanted was the control. With it, he would have the power over himself to be anything he wanted to be. No gap sickness, no fear, no pain.

    Hollow laughter escaped Ashur's throat. "You have lost your fucking mind. That's illegal! Use your head! You're a cop, and when a cop breaks the law, it's a mandatory death sentence. They'll find out, do you really think you can hide it?"

    Nasir was begging now. "Please, Ashur, just give it to me. I need it, it's the only thing that will help me to heal myself."

    Ashur stood menacingly, and stalked his way to Nasir's seat, cocked his fist back, and brought it down upon Nasir's face with all the strength he possessed. "Never, you stupid little shit. Now you listen, and listen good. You will never get away with it. Even if you manage to convince them I was under your orders, you will still have to file charges against Niklaus. And you know what that means. You will be given a thorough mental and physical exam, that's standard procedure in a case like this one. They'll find the implant, and you'll be dead. I'm trying to save your life kid!"

    Left with no other choice, Nasir allowed his shoulders to slump and his head to drop. After all Ashur's gentleness over the last couple of weeks, he had struck him again. It was all a lie, there was no way to reach a man like that. Now he had only one hope left, Captain Agron Niklaus.

    Two days later, Bright Beauty finally limped back into dock on Capua. With the thruster out and some of the other systems damaged, it had been a long and difficult trip. In fact, Ashur had even needed stim to help him stay awake. Nasir with his zone implant had been forced to forego rest, and now his eyes were feverish and his cheeks flushed. It was obvious the kid needed sleep. Ashur would have let him have it too, but station inspectors were already pounding on the airlock door.

    Turning to Nasir, he hissed at the boy. "Shut her down. And keep your mouth shut. Let me do all the talking. Just sit there, and give your best cop act." Several deep breaths later, Ashur walked on shaky legs to let the inspectors onto Bright Beauty.

    Apparently, the supply ship was still missing. Captain's Fancy had still not returned to dock. The board of inquiry had questions, and someone was damn well going to answer them. What Ashur actually told them came surprisingly close to the truth this time.

    -I don't give a fuck about any supply ship. I was after Niklaus. I'm not stupid, you know. The person who is dumb enough to actually loot a supply ship is dead if they ever set foot on this station again. People on this station depend on those supplies for their lives! But I had a score to settle with Niklaus, and I figured this was as good a time as any to do it. Only he was waiting for me, attacked my ship. Fired on me, don't you see the scarring on her sides?

    -None of this changes the fact you disobeyed direct orders from Station, Captain Thermopyle. You will have to surrender your datacore.

    - No, I don't. Hell, search my ship, you won't find anything on her. And why don't you ask him? He's a cop, he'll tell you I didn't go after any supply ship. Well go on, ask him!

    A whole troop of insepctors filed in and out of Ashur's ship, but they didn't find a damned thing. Finally the guy in charge of the questioning played his last card.

    -If Captain Niklaus shows up, we're going to treat him the same way we did you.If we find any of those supplies on board his ship, we'll take possession of Captain's Fancy and lock him away for life. But we can't charge him for shooting at you. At least not unless you can prove it was him, and for that, you will still have to hand over your datacore.

    Ashur didn't even bother to answer, and turned his back on the inspector and his crew. Somehow, unbelievably, he had managed to bluff his way out of this one. Once the intruders were off his ship, Ashur sealed the airlock door, and dragged Nasir to his berth, not even bothering with the zone implant control because it was clear the kid was dead on his feet. Exhausted beyond measure, Ashur barely made it to his own bunk before collapsing.  
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    And while Ashur slept the sleep of the dead, Agron sailed back into Capua Station and passed his inspection as well. Captain's Fancy had no outward signs of damage, and Agron was more than happy to oblige the inspectors and allow them access to his ship and its cargo holds. In the matter of his datacore, however, he remained just as adamant as Ashur.

    -Sorry boys, no datacore unless you've got a writ. And somehow I don't think you've got enough evidence to secure one.

    -Captain Niklaus, you left Capua Station without filing a flight plan, without authorization, and ignored a direct order to return to dock. Is that not ample evidence?

    -Honestly, I'm ashamed for you guys. Don't you think I know my rights? If you want to go back over your data, you'll notice I had already begun uncoupling from the docks before the SOS call came through, so no, it's not enough evidence. The only thing you've got me for is the flight plan crap. So fine me, and get off my ship.

    Before long, the sour faced little inspector was forced to admit Agron was right, and that they had found nothing that could compel Agron to turn over his datacore. Reluctantly, they disembarked from Captain's Fancy, leaving Agron free to complete the final stage of his plan. Every member of the crew let out a collective sigh, still in awe of their captain's sheer genius. He had played them all, inspectors, and Ashur alike, like violins.

    Leaving Mira onboard in charge in his absence Agron took a couple of the other members of the crew with him to finish putting the last nails in Ashur's coffin. It took several long hours, but eventually Agron, Pietros, and Pup managed to move all the supplies over to Bright Beauty. Now all they had to do was wait.  
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    Just after Agron had made his last deposit on board Bright Beauty, Ashur woke with a start. He rolled out of his bunk, and shook his head to clear it of the cobwebs. Feeling heavy and full, he made his way to the bathroom to relieve himself, then let the water run as he dunked his whole head in the small sink. Ashur felt every bit his age as he made his way to the galley for some coffee. As he did so, he began to think about the situation he now found himself in. Why had Agron let him live? Why hadn't he just blasted him to space dust when presented the opportunity? Well that was an easy one, Nasir. Agron hadn't killed him because had he killed Ashur, Nasir's life would have been lost as well.

    Coffee in hand, Ashur moved in the direction of the bridge. Almost at once upon reaching his destination, Ashur noticed the flashing blip on his control board. His fingers automatically flew to the button of his console, seeking to identify the reason for the alert. But what he found at first made no sense. Nasir had tampered with the locks on one of the ship's exterior hatches. When had he had time to do that? There hadn't been time and Ashur had been with him every moment... except when he left him on the bridge to shut Bright Beauty down and go let the inspectors in. And after they had gone, he had been too tired to even check his console, instead opting for much needed rest.

    Now, the hatch could be opened from the outside, and anyone could have come in... and taken Nasir away with them. He sprinted to Nasir's cabin and stood in shocked silence for a moment upon finding the boy still asleep in his bunk. What in the fuck was going on here? Back at his main board, Ashur turned his scanners on the other ships in the dock, and spotted Captain's Fancy less then fifty yards away. Nonononono, shitshitshitshitshit! In a moment of panic, he made for his hidden holds. Fuck! He was trapped, dead.

    From floor to ceiling, the holds were filled with food, meds, and supplies. Each and every box carried the seal marking it as being property of Capua Station, the same kind of boxes a supply ship from Earth would be carrying.

    The brilliance of it all astonished him. This was why Agron had seemed so pleased to have met him in the doorway at Ludus a few nights past. Words, seemingly innocuous at the time, now took on a whole new meaning. What had Agron said, "hatching something, open up to someone, let them inside..." How could Ashur have been so blind? He had thought he was showing Niklaus he was not a man to be trifled with, and instead he had sealed his own doom. What else had Captain Goatfucker said? Oh yes, " it's in your pocket right now..." At the time, Ashur had just assumed Agron was making a lucky guess about the zone implant control. Now he had to wonder. During the little dust-up, it was more than possible for Agron to have slipped a note into Nasir's pocket, detailing what he needed to do. A note Nasir would have found, read, and then promptly flushed down the san.

    And the supplies, where had they come from? The answer was so obvious. Agron must have had an ally in security. Someone who would have let him take these supplies to frame Ashur with, knowing they would just get them right back. Probably that same double dealer was the reason Agron always seemed to skate through check-ins and inspections. Ashur had been outdone, and now he was out of options. He was facing a life sentence for the stolen supplies, and execution if they were able to find MornHyl's implant. Nasir would be free then, to run straight into Niklaus' open fucking arms.

    Briefly, the thought of trying to escape again ran through his mind. Run, just like he had the day he had first encountered Star Master. How different things would have been if he had just played it cool, and remained on Cap-Station. He certainly wouldn't be staring down his impending doom as he was doing right now. Where would he run to though? He wouldn't make it far, especially not with Bright Beauty in the condition she was in. Besides, the inspectors had warned him he would not be granted permission to leave the dock, at least not until they knew what had happened to the supply ship. If he tried to make a break for it, they might not even give him a warning before firing in him this time. Ashur could risk his ship, he had done so before, when it was necessary. But risking Nasir's life was another thing. The boy was his, dammit, and he wouldn't put him in danger that way.

    After spending ten minutes shaking in his g-seat, he released a breath. Stiffly, he got to his feet, and moved with leaden legs to the sleeping quarters. Gently, he shook Nasir awake, and the boy fixed sleepy, half-lidded eyes on him. Momentarily, they widened before Nasir was able to pull them back under control. With some difficulty, Nasir managed a crooked, half smile, and pushed himself to a sitting position on his bunk. He pulled back the covers, and held his arms out, as though even after all the depsicable things that had been done to him, he had somehow found it in him to want Ashur.

    The ploy was so obvious Ashur couldn't help the sneer that formed on his face. Nasir was only trying to distract him, going all in on his last bet. This was the only chance left to the boy, because tonight he would either be free, or Ashur would kill Agron, and in doing so, kill Nasir's last hope. Ashur couldn't decide if he hated or loved Nasir in that moment, but it really didn't matter because he had already decided what he was going to do. His brain no longer had any control over his body or his words.

    "Get up, kid. I think we'll take a trip over to Ludus."

    Wondering momentarily if it were already too late, if Capua Station security was en route to arrest him now, he slipped his hand into the pocket of his grimy shipsuit. The zone implant control felt like a living thing there, a ravenous, hideous, creature intent on devouring him. Shoulders slumped, a defeated man, Ashur headed out with Nasir close behind, leaving Bright Beauty for the last time.

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Epilogue  


    Ludus was crowded this time of the evening, but Ashur had no trouble finding a table. The rumor mill had been working overtime, and everyone knew he was still under suspicion of looting the missing supply ship. In the event any shooting started, Ludus' patrons wanted to be as far from him as possible.

    The tension was evident in both Nasir and Ashur as they crossed the floor. People attempted to hide their faces in their drinks, glancing up occasionally surreptitiously. Conversation went from loud and boisterous to furtive and quiet. Then Agron Niklaus and a few of his crew members came in, laughing and joking as usual. Nobody was fooled, because the atmosphere in the room turned thick. Agron didn't even spare a glance for Ashur or Nasir, but his scars were dark and blood filled. It would seem that the wait was over, and something big was about to happen. Those who weren't of a curious nature made for the door, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, the others got ready to move fast if the need arose.

    A few minutes later, security broke into Ludus, scattering tables, chairs, and even customers in their wake, intent on reaching Ashur before he had a chance to run. Lightning fast, Nasir took a step in Agron's direction. Ashur reflexes were quick however, and he reached out and grabbed Nasir by the wrist. Afterall, this way why he he had brought him here. Both of their lives depended on this. Ashur was a coward, and even though inside he was destroyed, he wanted to continue living.

     Nasir struggled desperately, but his captor was too strong for him. The terrified boy had been hoping for a clean escape, and now he wasn't sure what to do. There were so many things Ashur needed to say, but he couldn't find the words. All that came out was, "I accept. Your deal, we keep each other's secrets. No one saw him slip the control to the zone implant into the boy's hand. Pulling Nasir close once more, he hissed, "Know that I could have killed you anytime I wanted to. Remember that." Then Ashur released him. He watched as Mira Vasaczk reached them, and snatched Nasir away, but not before the kid slid the control into the pocket of his dirty, too-big shipsuit. Ashur caught one last glimpse of raven tresses, and then Nasir was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This concludes Part 1 of The Gap Series. Part 2 will be coming to you very soon, because the escape was not the last, only the beginning.


End file.
